martyrme19

I really like the idea of this thread. I hope you keep doing it next year!

So all complaining aside, what does his path look like? Is he in Grand Rapids next year and for how long?

If its so close you have to use a stop watch....its not a late hit. And his elbow was most certainly down. What you saw was the follow through which wasn't even high.

As a referee of 15 years, this hit is completely clean. What is a penalty is the check from behind/boarding play that is clear as day. I also don't even think this hit was in retaliation. It wasn't the player that hit him, and he didn't chase after this player - it was just a natural place for Datsyuk to be. Why its clean: Doesn't leave feet or take more than a stride to deliver the check + elbows down + no head contact. Since the close up of the hit doesn't display the head area, that could be the only thing that I wuld be mistaken, but it doesn't look like head contact to me.

Because this years draft reportedly sucks......It's actually pretty easy logic to follow. Ya! Let's trade assets for draft picks that are projected to be s*** so we can delay the rebuild process!

If Florida makes the playoffs, the 3rd rd pick becomes Arizona's pick that Florida got earlier. So we need to root for FLA to make the playoffs!

I'm curious to see what year the draft pick is in. I was very hopeful that Holland had the foresight to stockpile draft picks for the following draft which it seems that he has done with the 2nd Rd for Smith and 6th Rd for Ott....really hope its a 3rd round for 2018 as well. Then hopefully Florida tanks in 2018 for an even better pick!

Wow no kidding. I can't believe I didn't know this. I was always a bit curious about the trade....can you recall back then how a 1st round was justified for Quincey? I'm not much of a hater but always thought that was a gross overpayment especially since we lost him not long before for nothing.

Wait, I'm confused by what you mean. What shady moves are you talking about? Didn't we give a 1st round pick to the Avs for Quincey??? If i'm correct, they are probably still laughing about it and jesus, now they owe us a favor or two right?

Didn't we trade a 2nd rd pick + Eaves + Jarnkrok for Legwand? And our aspirations were just to MAKE the playoffs. Certainly a team trying to win the cup would trade a 1st for Green, right? I mean, it's tough finding good Dmen out there. Just ask Detroit fans....

Do you live in Toronto and would also like to be my friend? I guess it's also important to know if you have thrown money away because you like to immerse yourself in emotional pain and despair.

Does anyone know how one would go about getting tickets to the outdoors game January 1st in Toronto?

I saw the hit live and I turned to my friend and said "well there's a 5 minute major for you guys."

I'll be going tonight! Row 1 level 300. I'll pass along everyone's concerns to the players.

I tried my best to read each response and I feel like no one really mentioned the obvious. All of what people said about why the NHL and NFL are among the toughest are right. However with one glaring absence. Simply put - more NHL teams can realistically win the Stanely Cup in the playoffs than any other sport. Look no further than this years 8 seed winning it all. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt that has ever happened in the NBA. Even before the lockout, upsets were always rampant. Now, this is why I differ it from the NFL (where low seeds can also have success). In the NFL, a low seed can go far by going on a streak simply because its 1 and done. Anyone can get lucky a couple of times. But only the perfect makeup of the NHL requires just enough games to make it supremely tough for even the best team in the NHL to win, and for a low seeded team to prevail. If a low seed team wins, they prove that it wasn't a fluke whereas in the NFL, you can't claim that. K, end of story.

Seriously what the hell - where were all of you who have claimed to have wanted Jagr when everyone else on these boards were calling me an idiot for saying he was worth the risk?

I would like to say that I was probably the biggest proponent on these boards saying that jagr will be worth the risk. I caught a lot of flack from multiple people on here telling me I would be dead wrong. I think there was about 1 other person that was supporting me. I never actually pay attention to who the posters are individually - but I'm sure you know who you are so: na na na boo boo stick your head in doo doo.

I don't know - I ditched the mask as soon as I could and it certainly wasn't to "look" cooler. Actually, I think the most badass look is the picture I have in my avatar. It really is a comfort thing for me, and a lot of players I know. A ton of dudes would come to practice for 1 or 2 sometimes 3 weeks straight wearing a visor hoping to get used to it for a game. I can't recall one guy that ended up switching. It really does make a difference. I mean, even if it doesn't *actually*, I feel like it does. Which then means that it absolutey does, if that makes sense. To me, the biggest distraction is the added weight it provides to the front of my helmet. I don't like the way it feels when I turn my head on a swival. I also feel like some how I miss passes and fumble pucks a lot more with it on. I can't pin point where the loss in vision comes, but it totally has an effect - whether real or perceived. I know that if I forced myself to wear it, I would just get used to it. Alas, I love not having it at all so why change? Chicks dig scars and I have great dental. In any case, just because you have more equipment doesnt mean you are any safer. Studies show that Anti-lock breaks worked to prevent accidents initially, but now they cause MORE accidents because people now feel they can push the limits more. Seriously, look it up. It's an automatic subconcious thing. People with facemasks probably put their faces in dangers way more often. I've not worn a mask for 7 years now. I've never got hit in the eye and never had a tooth injury. I've been his in the face twice where I was cut and it bled, but I never missed a shift nor did I need anything other than a band aid. So ya, I'll continue to take my chances.

Let me be perfectly clear - I dont know who you are, nor do I ever intend to care. I have no invested interest in debating on this topic the way you see fit, so f*** you buddy. It's not so much, "boohoo someone disagrees with me" as it is, "is this guy really this ******* retarted?". You're trying to argue something that the very nature of the game has cultivated for 100 years. End of story. Don't like it, pick another sport. I'm sick of talking to you now. If you want to keep it going, lets meet at an arena somewhere and drop the gloves. Or you can just shoot and pass the puck around, I dont give a s***.

When I say something IS the game - I mean it. Its part of hockey and its heritage. You'll retort to something like how in peewees they dont have fighting and that's still hockey. But you would be wrong - because 1, nobody watches peewee hockey except parents, and 2, there is a natural progression of education in terms of physical contact. Otherwise, mites would be allowed to check right off the bat. For you to devalue the fighting aspect that the sport has carried since its inauguration is equivalent to you saying - well they dont NEED to play on ice! I mean, as you said, you take out shooting - and it isnt hockey. take out passing - and it isnt hockey. take out defence - and it isnt hockey. take out goaltending - and it isnt hockey. take out the sheet of ice - and it isnt hockey. So any one of those aspects is correctly argued that it IS the game, because without it, the sport is something different. So take the ice out too buddy, since you don't seem to bother changing whatever the hell you damn well please. Or better yet, since you obviously dont care for the fighting, youll obviously get over it if there is no ice - do us all a favor, go watch roller hockey and leave my sport the f*** alone.

Honestly, I've got to say - I think we really are giving Chicago too much credit. I mean, they BARELY made it into the playoffs last year and it's not like they made a whole lot of improvements. Plus, St. Louis got better, Colombus got a lot better, Nashville will at least be on par, and the Red Wings are either on par or will improve. I will say this though, I feel that the overall respect that the general Wings fan base has for Chicago resembles why we are head and shoulders over other team's fans (I'm looking at you Avalanch)base in terms of classiness.

I firmly believe what I have to say is right. I'm basing what I have to say on proof that is available to the general public. The EXPERTS (The Hennepin County (Minn.) Medical Examiner's office)listed Boogard's cause of death as a mixture of alcohol and oxycodone toxicity. The EXPERTS (News1130 in Vancouver) listed Rypiens death as a suicide. Another expert, James Mirtle of the Mail and Globe reported Rypien suffered from depression and missed most of last season because of a leave of absence citing, "personal reasons". Another EXPERT, Lionel Aadland (Belaks fricken father and former police officer) reports that his son took his own life. And Just so I cover ALL OF MY BASES. EXPERTS* reported the death of the players occuring in the KHL plane crash also had nothing to do with fighting. It was caused by the plane falling out of the sky. *experts in this statement include but are not exclusive to ******* gravity* Also, I hate using this as a statement but it does merit some weight in this argument - I often feel like I am one of the only few on these boards who have played pro hockey. As a player who has led a team in both scoring and fighting majors, I feel like I know the culture of fights in a hockey game from the perspective of a fighter and a player who is protected by its fighters. I have also had many many many sessions with professionally trained medical staffers and I would like to think that the knowledge they have bestowed upon me could also be categorized as an expert opinion. Also - many of these arguments have no need for input from experts whatsoever. They simply require basic logical analyses and common sense. Cause and effect is a skill I have been honing since pre-school.

I stood firm last year that Chicago would not make the playoffs before the season started. I was almost right. I still believe that Chicago will be the 3rd best team in the Central. But I have no idea who number 2 will be. I think it will be Detroit, Nsh/Col, Chi, St.L

Bro, Thats EXACTLY what it is. If these patterns have been going on for 70 years, THEN it wouldn't be a coincidence. People have already correctly responded to this, but just in case - the fighting itself does not cause their lifestyles. It is more than likely these players lifestyles that have led them to be successful fighters. C'MON MAN!!! Yes it is. First I can argue how it intangibally affects the game. You know exactly what I would say, so I won't waste my time. You would just argue it and not listen anways. So.... Its part of the rule book and in such a way to be incorporated in the game. So ya, you're dead wrong. No questions.

I mean, are you serious? You do know that hockey has seen fighting since the birth of its existence, right? It IS the game. Besides, whether there is fighting or not, there will always be 20 minutes of game time where the puck is in play so you don't have to worry. You know that fighting has nothing to do with these players deaths, right? I mean, you know that fighting has existed in hockey for more than 5 years ago and that there haven't been any issues like this before? But then maybe you'll site Proberts premature death. But then i'll just retort with his destructive life style and cocain addiction - so don't bother.